As I begin the task of preparing to move, I started in the studio. Dozens of old paintings that I once thought were good, are now all stacked up ready to be thrown away rather than packed up to move to our new home and studio. I took pictures of some as keepsakes and others were given away but the bulk of them just need to be gone.
It is strange how difficult it was to make the decisions of which could stay and which to go. An artists puts their soul into each piece. Of course, with each painting one gets better and sees more and now I can see why those paintings failed. Not that they were not valuable, because they are, immensely so. Each of those paintings taught me how to work the paint, use the brushes and adjust the colors.
I will keep many of my favorites from the past as they serve as measuring sticks to the growth I am continuing to make in my craft. One thing is for certain, an artist never ever stops learning. There is always one more little thing that makes the next painting a little better. As I prepare to leave this studio behind, I also look forward to setting up a new one which will be custom built for the way I work. I simply can not imagine my life without painting. Little by little, they tell my story. They share my triumphs and failures, as well as my love, laughter and heartbreak with the world.
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